Small wonder then that Bhattarai examined with eagle-eyed focus every diamond that was shown to him. The usually lackadaisical shopper grilled the diamond seller, asking him everything from questions related to color and the size to the cut of the stones. What Sailesh did was nothing bizarre; after all, unlike, say gold, whose value is determined by fewer factors, the value of diamonds is determined by a whole host of arcane variables.
The easier variables to understand, first: most engagement rings that are available here are called "solitaire," or "single-piece" diamonds. These diamonds are the bigger ones, whose sizes are such that they can steal center-stage on a piece of jewelry without needing other, smaller stones to accompany them to enhance the value of the piece. But their bigger size also means that they are heavier, and thus of higher carats, and ultimately, more expensive. Indeed, solitaire diamonds between a half carat and three can cost as much as Rs 20 lakhs.
Next, the cut. The cut is one of the most essential determiners of both the cost and the beauty, or the brilliance, of a diamond. Basically, a well-cut diamond is cut in such a way that the facets bounce around among themselves the light that enters a diamond, and when the light is reflected back to the outside, it comes off as a brilliant ray. The most expensive diamonds, on the basis of how they´ve been cut, are called "ideal cut" diamonds and the gradation downwards from that peak is "premium," "very good," "good," "fair" and "poor." No enterprising jeweler would probably tag his diamonds a "poor" one, and since people can´t say for sure how brilliant a diamond is, prospective buyers would probably be better off making their purchases from the trusted jewelers in town.
Before moving on to the next variables, color and clarity, it would perhaps be pertinent to disabuse prospective diamond buyers of a common erroneous idea regarding cut. A diamond´s cut does not mean its shape. A diamond may be shaped such that the finished product looks oval, round, triangular, heart-shaped, pear-like, lily-shaped, or may even look like a baguette. The many shapes that diamonds come in may confuse even more the already confused buyer, so one would be wise to revert to homing in on brilliance once again: high-quality diamonds are a symphony born of cut and shape, wherein the cuts and the shape work together to produce brilliance.
A diamond´s worth is also determined by its color. According to Ravi Shrestha, the executive director of Asri Jewelry, if you are looking to buy the best, then pick the colorless diamonds. These diamonds are rated "D." The "E" and "F" rated diamonds are slightly less valuable, and as the rating-letters move further down the English alphabet list, the less valuable they become. For buyers who because of financial constraints are forced to choose between size and color, Shrestha suggest buying a larger diamond of a lower color grade, instead of a smaller diamond of a higher color grade. Most laymen can´t tell the difference between a "D" and an "F," but everyone can differentiate size.
Finally, clarity. When it comes to clarity, the abbreviation "FL," which stands for flawless, is the tag that marks out diamonds that are not speckled with any naturally occurring imperfection. The obvious ones to avoid are the diamond rings that have slapped on them the "SI1" and the "SI2" tags, for those tags scream "defects."Once again, since these defects cannot be spotted by the layman, buyers would do themselves well to buy their diamonds from established jewelers, whose rating systems can be trusted.
Emerald one piece diamond ring
Diamonds: 1.45 carat
Gold: 18 karat (8.16 gram)
Price: Rs 64,900
Engagement ring for men
Diamond: 1piece (0.51 carat)
Gold: 18 karat (8.24 gram)
Price: Rs 97,000
Engagement ring for women
Diamond: 1 piece (0.57 carat)
Gold: 2.93 gram
Price: Rs 91,200
Fashion diamond ring
Diamond: 7 pieces (1.48 carat)
Gold: 18 karat (5.50 gram)
Price: Rs 1, 24,000
Fashion diamond ring
Diamond: 43 pieces (0.46carat)
Gold: 18 karat (12.11 Gram)
Price: Rs 55,800
Diamond ring for men
Diamond: 11 pieces (0.57 carat)
Gold: 6.89 gram
Price: Rs 35,000
(Available at Asri jewelry; 7-10% discount on the purchase of every item.)
Diamond ring with white gold
Diamond: 2 karat (57 cents)
Price: Rs 1, 68,000
A white gold Ruby studded Diamond ring
Diamond: 4 karat (21 cents)
Price: Rs 2, 58,000
A fashion diamond ring
Diamond: 1 Karat (9 cents)
Price: Rs 1, 23,000
A five piece fashion diamond ring
Diamond: 1 karat (80 cents)
Price: Rs 1, 18000
A white gold fashion diamond ring
Diamond: 2 karat (87 cents)
Price: Rs 2, 46,000
(Available at Riddhi Siddhi Diamond store, New Road; 25% discount on the purchase of every item.)
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